Numerical control device and method for controlling additive manufacturing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A numerical control device includes: a program analyzing unit analyzing a transition of a moving velocity of a machining head and a transition of a supply amount of a material supplied to a beam-irradiation position based on a machining program; a movement distance calculating unit calculating a first distance based on a result of analysis performed by the program analyzing unit, the first distance being a length of a first movement section to a first position at which addition of the material to the workpiece is started, the first movement section being a section through which the machining head is moved while the head is accelerated; and a condition command generating unit generating a supply command to increase the supply amount of the material per hour from zero to a command value according to a machining condition while the machining head is moved through the first movement section.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a numerical control device thatcontrols an additive manufacturing apparatus, and to a method forcontrolling an additive manufacturing apparatus.

BACKGROUND

There has been known an additive manufacturing apparatus formanufacturing a modeled object having a three-dimensional shape in adirect energy deposition (DED) technology. Some additive manufacturingapparatuses manufactures a modeled object by locally melting a materialusing a beam emitted from a machining head and adding the moltenmaterial to a workpiece.

In a case where an additive manufacturing apparatus is controlled by anumerical control device, a machining program to be inputted to thenumerical control device is typically created by a computer aidedmanufacturing (CAM) device. The numerical control device obtains amovement path along which a machining head is to be moved, based onanalysis of a machining program, and generates a movement command thatis a group of interpolated points per unit time on the movement path.The numerical control device controls an operation mechanism owned bythe additive manufacturing apparatus in accordance with the movementcommand. The numerical control device also generates a command accordingto a machining condition specified by the machining program. Thenumerical control device controls a beam source using a commandaccording to the condition on beam output, and controls a materialsupply source using a command according to the condition on the supplyamount of the material.

Error may be caused between the moving velocity of the irradiationposition according to the command and the moving velocity of the actualirradiation position by the influence of processes for acceleration anddeceleration in driving the operation mechanism or the influence ofresponse performance of the operation mechanism. In this case, a changein the relation between the moving velocity of the irradiation positionand the supply amount of the material with respect to a case where theirradiation position is moved at the moving velocity according to thecommand may affect the machining accuracy of the additive manufacturingapparatus. Such a phenomenon is likely to occur when the movement of themachining head is started and the addition of the material to aworkpiece is started and when the movement of the machining head isstopped and the addition to the workpiece is terminated.

Patent Literature 1 teaches a manufacturing method including spraying amodeling liquid containing a photocurable compound and curing themodeling liquid by irradiation with a laser beam, in which runway pathsare set such that the velocity of the machining head through a pathalong which the spraying is performed is a constant velocity. The runwaypath is a path along which the machining head is moved without anyspraying of the modeling liquid, and set before and after the path alongwhich the spraying is performed.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.2018-48032

SUMMARY Technical Problem

In an additive manufacturing apparatus, error may be caused between thesupply amount of a material per hour according to a command and theactual supply amount by the influence of the response performance of asupply source of the material. Such error may change the relationbetween the moving velocity of the irradiation position and the supplyamount of the material relative to that when the supply amount of thematerial according to a command is applied, and thereby the change mayaffect the machining accuracy. Thus, there has been a problem in that anadditive manufacturing apparatus may not achieve high machining accuracyeven when runway paths are set in a manner similar to the conventionaltechnique according to the above-mentioned Patent Literature 1.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,and an object thereof is to provide a numerical control device that canmake an additive manufacturing apparatus perform processing with highprocessing accuracy, and a method for controlling the additivemanufacturing apparatus.

Solution to Problem

In order to solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the object,the present invention provides a numerical control device that controls,in accordance with a machining program, an additive manufacturingapparatus that includes a machining head emitting a beam and produces amodeled object by adding a material molten by irradiation of the beam toa workpiece, the numerical control device comprising: a programanalyzing unit to analyze a transition of a moving velocity of themachining head relative to the workpiece and a transition of a supplyamount of the material supplied to an irradiation position of the beamon the basis of the machining program; a movement distance calculatingunit to calculate a first distance on the basis of a result of analysisperformed by the program analyzing unit, the first distance being alength of a first movement section to a first position with whichaddition of the material to the workpiece is started, the first movementsection being a section through which the machining head is moved whilethe head is accelerated; and a condition command generating unit togenerate a supply command to increase the supply amount of the materialper hour from zero to a command value according to a machining conditionwhile the machining head is moved through the first movement section.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

A numerical control device according to the present invention producesan advantageous effect of enabling an additive manufacturing apparatusto perform machining with high machining accuracy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an additive manufacturing apparatuscontrolled by an NC device according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the NCdevice that controls the additive manufacturing apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of theNC device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the operationperformed by the NC device illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating a relation among the moving velocity of amachining head, the supply rate of a wire, and the intensity of a laserbeam, which is a relation for a comparative example of the firstembodiment.

FIG. 6 is a graph for explaining the supply rate of the wire and theintensity of the laser beam adjusted by a condition adjusting unit ownedby the NC device illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a machining programinputted to a program analyzing unit owned by the NC device illustratedin FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a modeled objectmanufactured by additive machining according to the machining programillustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating an example of a result of analysis of amoving velocity, obtained by the program analyzing unit illustrated inFIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating an example of a result of analysis of asupply rate performed by the program analyzing unit illustrated in FIG.2.

FIG. 11 is a graph illustrating an example of a result of analysis ofthe intensity of a laser beam, obtained by the program analyzing unitillustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 12 is a first graph for explaining a process performed by amovement distance calculating unit owned by the NC device illustrated inFIG. 2.

FIG. 13 is a second graph for explaining a process performed by themovement distance calculating unit owned by the NC device illustrated inFIG. 2.

FIG. 14 is a first diagram for explaining a process performed by amovement section setting unit owned by the NC device illustrated in FIG.2.

FIG. 15 is a second diagram for explaining a process performed by themovement section setting unit owned by the NC device illustrated in FIG.2.

FIG. 16 is a first graph for explaining a process performed by acondition adjusting unit owned by the NC device illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 17 is a second graph for explaining a process performed by thecondition adjusting unit owned by the NC device illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an NCdevice according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of an operationperformed by the NC device illustrated in FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a first diagram for explaining a process performed by amovement section setting unit owned by the NC device illustrated in FIG.18.

FIG. 21 is a second diagram for explaining a process performed by themovement section setting unit of the NC device illustrated in FIG. 18.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A numerical control device and a method for controlling an additivemanufacturing apparatus according to certain embodiments of the presentinvention will be described in detail below with reference to thedrawings. Note that the present invention is not necessarily limited bythese embodiments. In the following description, the numerical controldevice may be referred to as an NC (numerical control) device.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an additive manufacturing apparatus 100controlled by an NC device 1 according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention. The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 is a machinetool for manufacturing a modeled object by additional machiningprocessing in which a material molten by beam irradiation is added to aworkpiece. In the first embodiment, the beam is a laser beam, and thematerial is a wire 5 which is a metal material.

The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 forms a deposited object 18 ofa metal material on a surface of a base material 17 by depositing beadson the base material 17. The bead is a linear object formed bysolidification of the molten wire 5. The base material 17 is placed on astage 15. In the following description, the workpiece refers to the basematerial 17 and the deposited object 18. The modeled object refers tothe base material 17 and the deposited object 18 after addition of amaterial according to a machining program has been finished. The basematerial 17 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a plate material. The base material17 may be a material other than a plate material.

The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a machining head 10having a beam nozzle 11, a wire nozzle 12, and a gas nozzle 13. The beamnozzle 11 emits a laser beam for melting a material toward theworkpiece. The wire nozzle 12 advances the wire 5 toward a laser beamirradiation position on the workpiece. The gas nozzle 13 jets a gas forinhibiting the oxidation of the deposited object 18 and cooling thebeads toward the workpiece.

A laser oscillator 2, which is a beam source, performs an oscillation toform a laser beam. The laser beam from the laser oscillator 2 propagatesto the beam nozzle 11 passing through a fiber cable 3 that is an opticaltransmission path. A gas supplying device 7 supplies a gas to the gasnozzle 13 through a pipe 8.

A wire spool 6 around which the wire 5 is wound is a material supplysource. The rotation of the wire spool 6 with the driving of a rotarymotor 4 that is a servomotor causes the wire 5 to be fed out from thewire spool 6. The rotary motor 4 is a driving unit for supply of thematerial. The wire 5 out fed from the wire spool 6 passes through thewire nozzle 12 and supplied to the irradiation position of the laserbeam. Note that the wire nozzle 12 may be provided with an operationmechanism for pulling out the wire 5 from the wire spool 6. The additivemanufacturing apparatus 100 is provided with at least one of the rotarymotor 4 coupled to the wire spool 6 and the operation mechanism for thewire nozzle 12, thereby enabling supply of the wire 5 to the irradiationposition of the laser beam. Such an operation mechanism is a drivingunit for supply of the material. In FIG. 1, the operation mechanism forthe wire nozzle 12 is omitted.

A head drive device 14 moves the machining head 10 in each of the X-axisdirection, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. The X axis,the Y axis, and the Z axis are three axes perpendicular to each other.The X axis and the Y axis are parallel to the horizontal direction. TheZ-axis direction is the vertical direction. The head drive device 14includes a servomotor constituting an operation mechanism for moving themachining head 10 in the X-axis direction, a servomotor constituting anoperation mechanism for moving the machining head 10 in the Y-axisdirection, and a servomotor constituting an operation mechanism formoving the machining head 10 in the Z-axis direction. The head drivedevice 14 is an operation mechanism that enables translational movementin each of the directions of the three axes. In FIG. 1, the servomotorsare omitted. The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 moves theirradiation position of the laser beam on the workpiece by moving themachining head 10 based on the driving of the head drive device 14.

With the machining head 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, the laser beam is madeto travel in the Z-axis direction from the beam nozzle 11. The wirenozzle 12 is provided at a position away from the beam nozzle 11 in anX-Y plane, and advances the wire 5 in a direction diagonal to the Zaxis. In addition, the machining head 10 may advance the wire 5 along acentral axis of a laser beam emitted from the beam nozzle 11. In otherwords, the beam nozzle 11 and the wire nozzle 12 may be arrangedcoaxially. The beam nozzle 11 may emit a laser beam whose beamcross-section has been adjusted in shape to a shape of a ring formedaround the wire 5, or a plurality of beams distributed around the wire 5with the wire 5 being centered. Such a laser beam is so adjusted as toconverge at the irradiation position on the workpiece.

The gas nozzle 13 of the machining head 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 isprovided at a position away from the beam nozzle 11 in the X-Y plane,and produces a jet of gas in a direction diagonal to the Z axis. Inaddition, the machining head 10 may produce a jet of gas along thecentral axis of the laser beam emitted from the beam nozzle 11. In otherwords, the beam nozzle 11 and the gas nozzle 13 may be arrangedcoaxially.

A rotation mechanism 16 is an operation mechanism for rotating the stage15. The rotation mechanism 16 rotates the workpiece together with thestage 15. The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 is capable of makingthe posture of the workpiece suitable for machining by rotating thestage 15 using the rotation mechanism 16.

NC device 1 controls the additive manufacturing apparatus 100 inaccordance with a machining program. The NC device 1 outputs a movementcommand to the head drive device 14 to control the head drive device 14.The NC device 1 outputs an output command that is a command depending ona condition for beam output, to the laser oscillator 2 to control thelaser oscillation of the laser oscillator 2.

The NC device 1 outputs a supply command that is a command depending ona condition for the material supply amount, to the rotary motor 4 tocontrol the rotary motor 4. The NC device 1 controls the rotary motor 4to adjust the velocity of the wire 5 moving from the wire spool 6 towardthe irradiation position. In the following description, such velocitymay also be referred to as supply rate. The supply rate represents theamount of supply of a material per hour.

The NC device 1 outputs a command depending on a condition for the gassupply amount to the gas supplying device 7 to control the amount of gassupply from the gas supplying device 7 to the gas nozzle 13. The NCdevice 1 outputs a rotation command to the rotation mechanism 16 tocontrol the rotation mechanism 16. Note that the NC device 1 may be oneof the components of the additive manufacturing apparatus 100 or adevice external to the additive manufacturing apparatus 100.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the NCdevice 1 that controls the additive manufacturing apparatus 100illustrated in FIG. 1. A machining program 20, which is an NC programcreated by a CAM device, is inputted to the NC device 1. The machiningprogram 20 specifies a machining path, which is a path along which theirradiation position of the laser beam is moved, using an instruction ona moving path along which the machining head 10 is moved relative to theworkpiece placed on the stage 15.

The NC device 1 includes a machining condition table 21 in which data onvarious kinds of machining conditions are stored. The machining program20 includes a command for selecting a machining condition from among themachining conditions for which data is stored in the machining conditiontable 21.

The NC device 1 includes a program analyzing unit 22 that analyzes themachining program 20, and a command value generating unit 23 thatgenerates a movement command on the basis of a result of analysis of theprogram analyzing unit 22. The program analyzing unit 22 analyzesprocesses to be performed after a process being currently performed inthe machining program 20. The program analyzing unit 22 analyzes amovement path along which the machining head 10 is to be moved, on thebasis of the contents of processes described in the machining program20. The program analyzing unit 22 outputs data representing the analyzedmovement path to the command value generating unit 23 and a partial pathgenerating unit 24. The command value generating unit 23 generates amovement command that is a group of interpolated points per unit time onthe movement path.

The program analyzing unit 22 reads data for a machining conditionspecified in the machining program 20 from the machining condition table21. The program analyzing unit 22 may also obtain data for a machiningcondition on the basis of the machining program 20 in which data for themachining condition is described, instead of obtaining the data for thespecified machining condition from the data for various machiningconditions stored in advance in the machining condition table 21. Inthis case as well, the program analyzing unit 22 can obtain the data forthe machining condition by analyzing the machining program 20. Theprogram analyzing unit 22 outputs the obtained data for the machiningcondition to a condition adjusting unit 28, which will be describedlater.

The program analyzing unit 22 also estimates a transition of the movingvelocity of the machining head 10 relative to the workpiece and atransition of the supply rate of the wire 5 supplied to the irradiationposition of the laser beam on the basis of the obtained data for themachining condition. The program analyzing unit 22 outputs datarepresenting the result of estimation of the transition of the movingvelocity of the machining head 10 and data representing the result ofestimation of the transition of the supply rate of the wire 5 to amovement distance calculating unit 25, which will be described later.The program analyzing unit 22 also estimates a transition of theintensity of the laser beam on the basis of the obtained data of themachining condition. The program analyzing unit 22 outputs datarepresenting the result of estimation of the transition of the intensityof the laser beam to the movement distance calculating unit 25.

The NC device 1 includes the partial path generating unit 24, themovement distance calculating unit 25, and a movement section settingunit 26. The partial path generating unit 24 generates a plurality ofpartial paths by dividing a movement path of the machining head 10. Datafor the movement path is inputted to the partial path generating unit 24from the program analyzing unit 22. The partial path generating unit 24generates a plurality of partial paths into which a movement path isdivided by extracting a partial path having a first position as a startpoint and a second position as an end point from the movement path. Thefirst position is a position where the material is started to be addedto the workpiece is started. The second position is a position where theaddition of the material continued from the first position is stopped.Note that the number of partial paths generated from the movement pathmay be any number depending on the modeled object to be manufactured inaccordance with the machining program 20, and can be one. The partialpath generating unit 24 outputs data representing the generated partialpath to the movement distance calculating unit 25 and the movementsection setting unit 26.

The movement distance calculating unit 25 acquires data for the partialpath from the partial path generating unit 24, and calculates a firstdistance, which is the length of a first movement section set for eachpartial path, and a second distance, which is the length of a secondmovement section set for each partial path. The first movement sectionis a section in which the machining head 10 is moved while beingaccelerated from the position where the movement of the machining head10 is started to the first position, which is an acceleration sectionbefore the addition of the material is started. The second movementsection is a section in which the machining head 10 is moved while beingdecelerated from the second position to the position where the movementof the machining head 10 is stopped, which is a deceleration sectionafter the addition of the material is stopped.

The movement distance calculating unit 25 also acquires the datarepresenting the result of estimation of the transition of the movingvelocity of the machining head 10 and the data representing the resultof estimation of the transition of the supply rate of the material fromthe program analyzing unit 22. The movement distance calculating unit 25calculates the first distance and the second distance on the basis ofthe result of analysis of the transition of the moving velocity of themachining head 10 and the result of analysis of the transition of thesupply rate of the material. In this manner, the movement distancecalculating unit 25 calculates the first distance and the seconddistance on the basis of the result of analysis performed by the programanalyzing unit 22. The movement distance calculating unit 25 outputsdata representing the first distance regarding the first movementsection of each partial path and data representing the second distanceregarding the second movement section of each partial path to themovement section setting unit 26.

The movement section setting unit 26 acquires the data for the partialpaths from the partial path generating unit 24 and acquires the datarepresenting the first distance of each partial path and the datarepresenting the second distance of each partial path from the movementdistance calculating unit 25. The movement section setting unit 26 setsthe first movement section having the first distance and the secondmovement section having the second distance for each partial path. Themovement section setting unit 26 sets the first movement section in thetangential direction of the partial path at the first position for eachpartial path. The movement section setting unit 26 sets the secondmovement section in the tangential direction of the partial path at thesecond position for each partial path. Thus, the movement sectionsetting unit 26 sets the first movement section having the firstdistance in the tangent point direction of a partial path at the firstposition. The movement section setting unit 26 sets the second movementsection having the second distance in the tangent point direction of apartial path at the second position. The movement section setting unit26 outputs data on the setting of the first movement section and data onthe setting of the second movement section to the command valuegenerating unit 23 and the condition adjusting unit 28.

The NC device 1 includes a condition command generating unit 27 and thecondition adjusting unit 28. The condition adjusting unit 28 acquiresthe data for the machining condition from the program analyzing unit 22.The condition adjusting unit 28 adjusts the machining condition inaccordance with the setting of the first movement section and the secondmovement section performed by the movement section setting unit 26. Thecondition adjusting unit 28 adjusts the condition on the supply of thewire 5 and the condition on the output of the laser beam for the partialpath, the first movement section, and the second movement section. Thecondition command generating unit 27 outputs data for the adjustedmachining condition to the condition command generating unit 27.

The condition command generating unit 27 generates a command accordingto the machining condition. The condition command generating unit 27acquires the data of the adjusted machining condition from the conditionadjusting unit 28. The condition command generating unit 27 generatesvarious commands on the basis of the acquired data for the machiningcondition. The condition command generating unit 27 generates a supplycommand, which is a command on the supply of the material, and an outputcommand for the output of the laser beam. The condition commandgenerating unit 27 generates a supply command to increase the materialsupply amount per hour from zero to a command value according to themachining condition while the machining head 10 moves through the firstmovement section. The condition command generating unit 27 generates asupply command to decrease the material supply amount per hour from thecommand value according to the machining condition to zero while themachining head 10 moves through the second movement section. Thecondition command generating unit 27 generates an output signal forstarting output of the laser beam by laser oscillation when themachining head 10 reaches the first position. The condition commandgenerating unit 27 generates an output command to stop the laser beam bystopping the laser oscillation when the machining head 10 reaches thesecond position.

The command value generating unit 23 acquires the data on the setting ofthe first movement section and the data on the setting of the secondmovement section from the movement section setting unit 26. The commandvalue generating unit 23 generates a movement command that is a group ofinterpolated points per unit time in the first movement section, on thebasis of the data on the setting of the first movement section. Thecommand value generating unit 23 generates a movement command that is agroup of interpolated points per unit time in the second movementsection, on the basis of the data on the setting of the second movementsection. The command value generating unit 23 generates a movementcommand that is a group of interpolated points per unit time on thepartial path for each partial path. The NC device 1 outputs the commandsgenerated by the command value generating unit 23.

The head drive device 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a servoamplifier 31 that controls the driving of each of the servomotorsincluded in the head drive device 14. The servo amplifier 31 controlsthe driving of each of the servomotors in accordance with the movementcommands outputted from the NC device 1.

The rotary motor 4 illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided with a servoamplifier 32 that controls the rotating operation. The servo amplifier32 controls the driving of the rotary motor 4 in accordance with acommand on the material supply rate among the commands outputted fromthe NC device 1. The laser oscillator 2 illustrated in FIG. 1 includesan oscillation control unit 33 that controls the laser oscillation. Theoscillation control unit 33 controls the laser oscillation in accordancewith a command on the laser output among the commands outputted from theNC device 1.

In addition, the NC device 1 outputs a command depending on thecondition for the gas supply amount to the gas supplying device 7. TheNC device 1 outputs a rotation command to the rotation mechanism 16. Asjust described, the NC device 1 controls the entire additivemanufacturing apparatus 100 by outputting various kinds of commands.

Next, a hardware configuration of the NC device 1 will be described. Thefunctional units of the NC device 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 areimplemented by a control program, which is a program for performing amethod for controlling the additive manufacturing apparatus 100 of thefirst embodiment, being executed with use of hardware.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of theNC device 1 according to the first embodiment. The NC device 1 includesa central processing unit (CPU) 41 that performs various processes, arandom access memory (RAM) 42 including a data storage area, a read onlymemory (ROM) 43, which is a nonvolatile memory, an external storagedevice 44, and an input/output interface 45 for inputting information tothe NC device 1 and outputting information from the NC device 1. Thecomponents illustrated in FIG. 3 are connected with each other via a bus46.

The CPU 41 executes programs stored in the ROM 43 and the externalstorage device 44. The program analyzing unit 22, the command valuegenerating unit 23, the partial path generating unit 24, the movementdistance calculating unit 25, the movement section setting unit 26, thecondition command generating unit 27, and the condition adjusting unit28 illustrated in FIG. 2 are implemented with use of the CPU 41.

The external storage device 44 is a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solidstate drive (SSD). The external storage device 44 stores a controlprogram and various kinds of data. The external storage device 44 storesthe machining program 20 and the machining condition table 21illustrated in FIG. 2. The ROM 43 stores software or a program forcontrolling hardware, which is a boot loader such as a basicinput/output system (BIOS) that is a program for control and forms abase for a computer or a controller that is the NC device 1 or a unifiedextensible firmware interface (UEFI). Note that the control program maybe stored in the ROM 43.

The programs stored in the ROM 43 and the external storage device 44 areloaded into the RAM 42. The CPU 41 develops the control program in theRAM 42 to perform various processes. The input/output interface 45 is aninterface for connection with devices external to the NC device 1. Themachining program 20 and the data stored in the machining conditiontable 21 are inputted to the input/output interface 45. In addition, theinput/output interface 45 outputs various commands. The NC device 1 mayinclude an input device such as a keyboard and a pointing device, and anoutput device such as a display.

The control program may be stored in a storage medium configured to bereadable by a computer. The NC device 1 may store the control programstored in a storage medium into the external storage device 44. Thestorage medium may be a portable storage medium, which is a flexibledisk, or a flash memory, which is a semiconductor memory. The controlprogram may be installed into a computer or controller that serves asthe NC device 1 from another computer or server device via acommunication network.

The functions of the NC device 1 may be implemented by a processingcircuit that is a dedicated hardware set for controlling the additivemanufacturing apparatus 100. The processing circuit is a single circuit,a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel-programmedprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), afield-programmable gate array (FPGA), or any combination of them. Someof the functions of the NC device 1 may be implemented by dedicatedhardware, and others may be implemented by software or firmware.

Next, an operation performed by the NC device 1 will be explained. FIG.4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the operation performed bythe NC device 1 illustrated in FIG. 2. In step S1, the program analyzingunit 22 reads out the machining program 20 stored in the externalstorage device 44 illustrated in FIG. 3.

The content of a movement command is specified by a G code. A G code isexpressed by a combination of a character “G” and a numeric character.An F code is used for a velocity command that is a command for thevelocity at which the machining head 10 is to be moved. An F code isexpressed by a combination of a character “F” and a numeric characterrepresenting the velocity. The numeric character representing thevelocity may be a velocity value, or an identifier for selecting avelocity value from among velocity values stored in advance in theexternal storage device 44.

In addition, information for specifying a machining condition from amongvarious machining conditions of which data sets are stored in themachining condition table 21 is described in the machining program 20.An M code including a character “M” is used for the information forspecifying a machining condition. An M code include an identifier forselecting a machining condition from among the machining conditions ofwhich data sets are stored in the machining condition table 21. Theprogram analyzing unit 22 selects a machining condition on the basis ofsuch an identifier, and reads out data for the selected machiningcondition from the machining condition table 21. A G code may be usedfor the information for specifying a machining condition. The programanalyzing unit 22 selects, using a G code or an M code, a machiningcondition for forming beads having a target height and a target width byadditive processing. Note that data for the machining condition may bedescribed in the machining program 20. In this case, the programanalyzing unit 22 reads out the data for the machining condition fromthe machining program 20.

In step S2 that is an analyzing process, the program analyzing unit 22analyzes the movement of the machining head 10, the supply of the wire5, and the output of the laser beam on the basis of the machiningprogram 20 read out in step S1. In step S2, the program analyzing unit22 analyzes the processes to be performed after the process beingcurrently performed, by pre-reading the machining program 20. Theprogram analyzing unit 22 analyzes information of each of the movementpath of the machining head 10, the moving velocity of the machining head10 relative to the workpiece, the output of the laser beam in additivemachining, and the supply rate of the wire 5 in additive machining onthe basis of the machining program 20. The program analyzing unit 22also analyzes the transition of the moving velocity of the machininghead 10, the transition of the supply rate of the wire 5, and thetransition of the output of the laser beam.

In step S3 that is a partial path generating step, the partial pathgenerating unit 24 generates a partial path by dividing the movementpath analyzed in step S2. The partial path generating unit 24determines, as the first position, the position on the movement path atwhich the movement of the machining head 10 for machining is started.The partial path generating unit 24 determines, as the second position,the position at which the movement of the machining head 10 formachining is stopped. The partial path generating unit 24 extracts apartial path having the first position as a start point and the secondposition as an end point, from the movement path. The partial pathgenerating unit 24 is capable of checking the start of the movement andthe stop of the movement on the basis of a change in an operation modespecified by a G code. Note that the partial path generating unit 24 maydetermine the position at which the supply of the wire 5 for machiningis started as the first position, and the position at which the supplyof the wire 5 for machining is stopped as the second position. Thepartial path generating unit 24 may determine the position at which theoutput of the laser beam for machining is turned on as the firstposition, and the position at which the output of the laser beam formachining is turned off from on as the second position. Alternatively,the partial path generating unit 24 may determine the first position andthe second position on the basis of specifying of a change in themachining condition performed by an M code.

In step S4 that is a calculating process, the movement distancecalculating unit 25 calculates the first distance and the seconddistance for each of the partial paths generated in step S3. Themovement distance calculating unit 25 calculates the first distance andthe second distance on the basis of the result of analysis of thetransition of the moving velocity of the machining head 10 and theresult of analysis of the transition of the supply rate of the wire 5.

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating the relation among the moving velocity ofthe machining head 10, the supply rate of the wire 5, and the intensityof the laser beam, which is a relation according to a comparativeexample with respect to the first embodiment. The upper part of FIG. 5illustrates the relation between the moving velocity F of the machininghead 10 and time t. The middle part of FIG. 5 illustrates the relationbetween the supply rate V of the wire 5 and time t. The lower part ofFIG. 5 illustrates the relation between the intensity P of the laserbeam and time t. Note that the relations in the comparative exampleillustrated in FIG. 5 are relations in a case where the NC device 1controls the machining head 10, the rotary motor 4, and the laseroscillator 2 in accordance with the commands described in the machiningprogram 20, the relation representing relationship in a case where thefirst movement section and the second movement section described abovehave not been set. t=t1 is regarded as the start point of a partialpath. t=t2 is regarded as the end point of the partial path.

The movement of the machining head 10 is started at the start point ofthe partial path and stopped at the end point of the partial path. Themoving velocity F is accelerated during a period Δt1 from the startpoint until the moving velocity reaches a velocity value F1 specified bythe velocity command in the machining program 20. Thereafter, the movingvelocity F is maintained at the specified velocity value F1, and thendecelerated during a period Δt2 until the machining head 10 reaches theend point. The transitions of the moving velocity F during the periodΔt1 and during the period Δt2 are affected by anacceleration/deceleration process on the driving of the head drivedevice 14 and a smoothing process for mitigating a change in thevelocity. The acceleration/deceleration process and the smoothingprocess are performed by the command value generating unit 23.

The supply of the wire 5 is started at the start point of the partialpath and stopped at the end point of the partial path. The supply rate Vis accelerated during a period Δt3 from the start point until the supplyrate reaches a rate value V1 specified by the machining program 20.Thereafter, the supply rate V is maintained at the specified rate valueV1, and then decelerated until the end point is reached. The transitionsof the supply rate V during the period Δt3 and during a period Δt4 areaffected by the acceleration/deceleration process on the driving of therotary motor 4 and a smoothing process for mitigating a change in thevelocity during acceleration/deceleration.

The output of the laser beam by the laser oscillator 2 is started at thestart point of the partial path and stopped at the end point of thepartial path. Normally, the response speed of the laser oscillator 2 ishigher than that of the head drive device 14 and higher than that of therotary motor 4. Thus, the intensity P of the laser beam reaches anintensity value P1 specified by the machining program 20 at the startpoint of the partial path before the moving velocity F and the supplyrate V reach the velocity value F1 and the rate value V1, respectively.In addition, the intensity P of the laser beam starts decreasing fromthe intensity value P1 at the end point of the partial path after themoving velocity F and the supply rate V start deceleration from thevelocity value F1 and the rate value V1, respectively. In the relationsillustrated in FIG. 4, the intensity P is regarded as being changed fromzero to the intensity value P1 at the same time as the start point, andchanged from the intensity value P1 to zero at the same time as the endpoint.

As described above, in the case of the relations illustrated in FIG. 5,error is caused between the velocity value F1 specified by the machiningprogram 20 and the actual moving velocity F during the period Δt1 fromthe start point of the partial path and during the period Δt2 until theend point of the partial path. In addition, error is caused between therate value V1 specified by the machining program 20 and the actualsupply rate V during the period Δt3 from the start point of the partialpath and during the period Δt4 until the end point of the partial path.Because the relation between the supply amount of the wire 5 and theintensity of the laser beam at each interpolated point varies in someparts of the partial path where such an error is caused, the machiningaccuracy can be degraded.

In step S4, the movement distance calculating unit 25 calculates thefirst distance that enables the supply rate V to be increased from zeroto the rate value V1 for machining during the movement through the firstmovement section. The movement distance calculating unit 25 alsocalculates the second distance that enables the supply rate V to bedecreased from the rate value V1 to zero during the movement through thesecond movement section.

The movement distance calculating unit 25 calculates the first distanceand the second distance for making the relation between the supplyamount of the wire 5 and the intensity of the laser beam at eachinterpolated point of the partial path be a constant relation. Themovement distance calculating unit 25 calculates the first distance andthe second distance on the basis of the result of analysis of thetransition of the moving velocity F, the result of analysis of thetransition of the supply rate V, and the result of analysis of thetransition of the intensity P.

In step S5 that is a movement section setting process, the movementsection setting unit 26 sets the first movement section and the secondmovement section in each partial path. The movement section setting unit26 sets the first movement section of each partial path on the basis ofthe first distance calculated in step S4. The movement section settingunit 26 sets the second movement section of each partial path on thebasis of the second distance calculated in step S4. In addition, themovement section setting unit 26 obtains, for each partial path, atangential direction of the partial path at the first position and atangential direction of the movement path at the second position. Themovement section setting unit 26 sets, for each partial path, the firstmovement section in the same direction as the tangential direction atthe first position. The movement section setting unit 26 sets, for eachpartial path, the second movement section in the same direction as thetangential direction at the second position.

In step S6 that is a condition adjusting process, the conditionadjusting unit 28 adjusts the condition on the supply of the wire 5 andthe condition on the output of the laser beam for the first movementsection and the second movement section of each partial path. In step S7that is a command generating process, the condition command generatingunit 27 generates a supply command for the wire 5 and an output commandfor the laser beam in the first movement section and the second movementsection on the basis of the condition adjusted in step S6. The conditioncommand generating unit 27 also generates various commands for a partialpath on the basis of the condition adjusted by the condition adjustingunit 28.

FIG. 6 is a graph for explaining the supply rate of the wire 5 and theintensity of the laser beam adjusted by the condition adjusting unit 28owned by the NC device 1 illustrated in FIG. 2. The upper part of FIG. 6illustrates the relation between the moving velocity F of the machininghead 10 and time t. The middle part of FIG. 6 illustrates the relationbetween the supply rate V of the wire 5 and time t. The lower part ofFIG. 6 illustrates the relation between the intensity P of the laserbeam and time t.

The condition adjusting unit 28 sets the start of acceleration of thesupply rate V from zero in the first movement section. The timing atwhich the acceleration of the wire 5 is started is set to a timing atwhich the supply rate V can be increased to the rate value V1 at thestart point of the partial path. The condition adjusting unit 28 setsthe start of deceleration of the supply rate V at the start point of thesecond movement section, that is, the end point of the partial path. Thesupply rate V decreases from the rate value V1 to zero in the secondmovement section. The condition adjusting unit 28 performs setting tostart the output of the laser beam having the intensity value P1 at thesame time as the start point of the partial path and setting to stop theoutput of the laser beam of the intensity value P1 at the same time asthe end point of the partial path.

In step S8 that is a movement command generating process, the commandvalue generating unit 23 generates the movement commands for the partialpath, the first movement section, and the second movement section. TheNC device 1 thus terminates the operation according to the proceduresillustrated in FIG. 4. The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 stopsthe additive machining in the first movement section and the secondmovement section by stopping the output of the laser beam in the firstmovement section and the second movement section. In addition, therelation between the supply amount of the wire 5 and the intensity ofthe laser beam at each interpolated point is made to be constant,thereby making it possible to achieve high machining accuracy.

Next, details of the processes performed by the components of the NCdevice 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 will be explained. FIG. 7 is a diagramillustrating an example of the machining program 20 inputted to theprogram analyzing unit 22 owned by the NC device 1 illustrated in FIG.2. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a modeled object 50manufactured by the additive machining according to the machiningprogram 20 illustrated in FIG. 7.

The modeled object 50 illustrated in FIG. 8 includes the base material17, and two columnar objects 51 and 52, which correspond to thedeposited object 18. The columnar objects 51 and 52 are formed on thesurface of the base material 17. The columnar object 51 and the columnarobject 52 are provided at a distance in the X-axis direction. Each ofthe columnar object 51 and the columnar object 52 is formed bydeposition of a plurality of annular beads in the Z-axis direction.

A process for machining the columnar object 51 and a process formachining the columnar object 52 are described in the machining program20 illustrated in FIG. 7. A block group 20 a starting with a block“N100” represents the process for machining the columnar object 51. Ablock group 20 b starting with a block “N200” represents the process formachining the columnar object 51.

A block “N101” in the block group 20 a represents positioning byfast-forwarding movement to the position of coordinates (x, y, z). Ablock “N104” represents specifying a machining condition “D1”. A block“N105” and subsequent blocks in the block group 20 a constitute a groupof coordinate values expressing the shape of the columnar object 51. Theblock “N200” in the block group 20 b represents positioning byfast-forwarding movement to the position of coordinates (x2, y2, z2). Ablock “N202” represents specifying a machining condition “D2”. A block“N203” and subsequent blocks in the block group 20 b constitute a groupof coordinate values expressing the shape of the columnar object 52.

The machining condition “D1”, which is a machining condition for thecolumnar object 51, is regarded as including conditions of the movingvelocity F of the machining head 10 being the velocity value F1, thesupply rate V of the wire 5 being the rate value V1, and the intensity Pof the laser beam being the intensity value P1. In addition, V1=(½)×F1is assumed to be satisfied. The machining condition “D2”, which is themachining condition for the columnar object 52, is regarded as includingconditions of the moving velocity F being a velocity value F2, thesupply rate V being a rate value V2, and the intensity P being anintensity value P2. In addition, F2=F1, V2=2×F1, and P2=P1 are assumedto be satisfied.

In the following description, an analyzed value of the moving velocityF, which is a result of analysis based on the machining program 20 isreferred to as an estimated velocity Fc. The estimated velocity Fc maybe expressed as Fc(t, k). t is set as a variable representing time. k isset as a variable representing the columnar object 51 or 52. k=1represents the first columnar object 51 to be firstly machined among thecolumnar objects 51 and 52. k=2 represents the second columnar object 52to be secondly machined among the columnar objects 51 and 52. Theprogram analyzing unit 22 analyzes the transition of the moving velocityF during machining of the columnar object 51 on the basis of theanalysis result of the shape of the columnar object 51.

FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating an example of the result of analysis ofthe moving velocity obtained by the program analyzing unit 22illustrated in FIG. 2. Time t10 is the time when the movement of themachining head 10 is started. Time t13 is the time when the movement ofthe machining head 10 is stopped. The movement of the machining head 10is accelerated from Fc(t10, 1) at time t10 to Fc(t11, 1) at time t11,and Fc(t11, 1) thus reaches the velocity value F1. The estimatedvelocity Fc is constant at the velocity value F1 from Fc(t11, 1) at timet11 to Fc(t12, 1) at time t12. The movement of the machining head 10 isdecelerated from Fc(t12, 1) at time t12 to Fc(t13, 1) at time t13, andFc(t13, 1) thus becomes zero.

In the following description, an analyzed value of the supply rate V,which is a result of analysis based on the machining program 20 isrepresented as an estimated rate Vc. The estimated rate Vc may also beexpressed as Vc(t, k). The program analyzing unit 22 analyzes thetransition of the supply rate V in machining of the columnar object 51on the basis of the condition on the supply rate V included in themachining condition “D1”.

FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating an example of the result of analysis ofthe supply rate obtained by the program analyzing unit 22 illustrated inFIG. 2. Time t20 is the time when the supply of the wire 5 is started.Time t23 is the time when the supply of the wire 5 is stopped. Thesupply of the wire 5 is accelerated from Vc(t20, 1) at time t20 toVc(t21, 1) at time t21, and Vc(t21, 1) thus reaches the rate value V1.The estimated rate Vc is constant at the rate value V1 from Vc(t21, 1)at time t21 to Vc(t22, 1) at time t22. The supply of the wire 5 isdecelerated from Vc(t22, 1) at time t22 to Vc(t23, 1) at time t23, andVc(t23, 1) thus becomes zero.

In the following description, an analyzed value of the intensity P,which is a result of analysis based on the machining program 20 isrepresented as an estimated intensity Pc. The estimated intensity Pc mayalso be expressed as Pc(t, k). The program analyzing unit 22 analyzesthe transition of the intensity P in machining of the columnar object 51on the basis of the condition of the intensity P included in themachining condition “D1”.

FIG. 11 is a graph illustrating an example of the result of analysis ofthe intensity of the laser beam obtained by the program analyzing unit22 illustrated in FIG. 2. Time t30 is the time when the output of thelaser beam is started. Time t31 is the time when the output of the laserbeam is stopped. The estimated intensity Pc changes from zero to theintensity value P1 at time t30. The estimated intensity Pc is constantat the intensity value P1 from Pc(t30, 1) at time t30 to Pc(t31, 1) attime t31. The estimated intensity Pc changes from the intensity value P1to zero at time t31. Thus, the relation of Pc(t, k)=P1 is satisfied.

The program analyzing unit 22 analyzes the transition of the movingvelocity F during machining of the columnar object 52 on the basis ofthe analysis result of the shape of the columnar object 52. The programanalyzing unit 22 analyzes the transition of the moving velocity F inmachining of the columnar object 52 in a manner similar to the case ofthe columnar object 51. Fc(t, 2), which is the estimated velocity Fc forthe columnar object 52 is made constant at the velocity value F2 fromthe end of acceleration to the start of deceleration. The programanalyzing unit 22 analyzes the transition of the supply rate V inmachining of the columnar object 52 in a manner similar to the case ofthe columnar object 51. Vc(t, 2), which is the estimated rate Vc for thecolumnar object 52, is made constant at the rate value V2 from the endof acceleration to the start of deceleration. The program analyzing unit22 analyzes the transition of the intensity P in machining of thecolumnar object 52 in a manner similar to the case of the columnarobject 51. Pc(t, 2), which is the estimated intensity Pc for thecolumnar object 52 is made constant at the intensity value P2 from theend of acceleration to the start of deceleration.

The analysis processes of the machining program 20 performed by theprogram analyzing unit 22 may be performed in parallel with processesperformed by the command value generating unit 23, the partial pathgenerating unit 24, the movement distance calculating unit 25, themovement section setting unit 26, the condition command generating unit27, and the condition adjusting unit 28 illustrated in FIG. 2.

The program analyzing unit 22 analyzes the movement path of themachining head 10 in machining of the whole deposited object 18 on thebasis of the result of analysis of the shape of the whole depositedobject 18 formed by execution of the machining program 20. The partialpath generating unit 24 determines the position on such a movement pathat which Vc(t, k) is zero as a boundary between partial paths. Thepartial path generating unit 24 generates a partial path by dividing themovement path for each of such boundaries.

In the machining program 20 illustrated in FIG. 7, a block “N103”represents the movement of the machining head 10 in a mode specified by“G1”, which is a G code. The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 movesthe machining head 10 in the mode specified by the block “N103” andmachines the columnar object 51. After finishing the machining of thecolumnar object 51, the machining head 10 performs positioning indicatedby the block “N200”. Thereafter, the additive manufacturing apparatus100 moves the machining head 10 in a mode specified by a block “N201”,and machines the columnar object 52. A block including “G0” representsthat the movement in the mode specified before this block is to bestopped and positioning is to be performed, that is, Vc(t, k) is to betemporarily zero.

Next, processes performed by the partial path generating unit 24 will beexplained. The partial path generating unit 24 acquires the data on themovement path from the program analyzing unit 22. The partial pathgenerating unit 24 determines the position on the movement path whenmachining is stopped by “G0” as the second position that is the endpoint of the partial path. In addition, the partial path generating unit24 determines the position on the movement path when machining isstarted by “G1” as the first position that is the start point of thepartial path. In the case of the machining program 20 illustrated inFIG. 7, the partial path generating unit 24 divides the movement path inmachining the whole deposited object 18 into two partial paths, whichare a partial path L1 in machining of the columnar object 51 and apartial path L2 in machining of the columnar object 52. As describedabove, the partial path generating unit 24 determines a boundary betweenpartial paths on the basis of a change in the operation mode specifiedby the G code. Alternatively, the partial path generating unit 24 maydetermine the boundary on the basis of the start of the supply of thewire 5 and the stop of the supply thereof, or on the basis of on and offof the output of the laser beam. Alternatively, the partial pathgenerating unit 24 may determine the first position and the secondposition on the basis of specifying of a change in the machiningcondition using an M code.

Next, the processes performed by the movement distance calculating unit25 will be explained. The movement distance calculating unit 25calculates, for each partial path, the first distance of the firstmovement section and the second distance of the second movement section.The movement distance calculating unit 25 obtains, for each partialpath, a settling time Ts of the machining head 10 in response to amovement command on the basis of the transition of the estimatedvelocity Fc of the machining head 10. The settling time Ts is obtainedby the following formula (1), which is an estimation equation. Note thatAs indicates an acceleration set in advance for the movement of themachining head 10. τs indicates a filter time constant of theservomotors included in the head drive device 14.

Ts=(Fc/As)+τs  (1)

The movement distance calculating unit 25 obtains, for each partialpath, a settling time Tw of the rotary motor 4 in response to a supplycommand on the basis of the transition of the estimated rate Vc of thewire 5. The settling time Tw is obtained by the following formula (2),which is an estimation equation. Note that Aw indicates an accelerationset in advance for the supply of the wire 5. τw indicates a filter timeconstant of the rotary motor 4.

Tw=(Vc/Aw)+τw  (2)

FIG. 12 is a first graph for explaining processes performed by themovement distance calculating unit 25 owned by the NC device 1illustrated in FIG. 2. Herein, calculation of the first distance and thesecond distance for a partial path L1 will be presented as an example.The first graph illustrates a case of Ts>Tw. The movement of themachining head 10 and the supply of the wire 5 are assumed to be startedat the same time at time t0. The additive manufacturing apparatus 100needs to start machining upon the elapse of the settling time Ts fromtime t0, that is, when the estimated velocity Fc reaches the velocityvalue F1, in order to make the relation between the estimated velocityFc and the estimated rate Vc constant at the first position. Themovement distance calculating unit 25 calculates the first distance onthe basis of the settling time Ts. The movement distance calculatingunit 25 calculates a distance Sr1 that is the first distance, by thefollowing formula (3).

Sr1=Fc×{Ts−(Fc/2As)}  (3)

The movement distance calculating unit 25 also calculates the seconddistance in a manner similar to the first distance. The movement of themachining head 10 and the supply of the wire 5 are regarded as beingstopped at the same time at time t3. When Ts>Tw, the additivemanufacturing apparatus 100 needs to stop machining at the settling timeTs before time t3, that is, when the estimated velocity Fc startslowering form the velocity value F1, in order to make the relationbetween the estimated velocity Fc and the estimated rate Vc constant atthe second position. The movement distance calculating unit 25calculates a distance Sr1 that is the second distance, by the aboveformula (3), in the same manner as the first distance. In this example,the first distance and the second distance are the same distance Sr1.

FIG. 13 is a second graph for explaining processes performed by themovement distance calculating unit 25 owned by the NC device 1illustrated in FIG. 2. The second graph illustrates a case of Ts<Tw. Theadditive manufacturing apparatus 100 needs to start machining upon theelapse of the settling time Tw from time t0, that is, when the estimatedrate Vc reaches the rate value V1, in order to make the relation betweenthe estimated velocity Fc and the estimated rate Vc constant at thefirst position. The movement distance calculating unit 25 calculates thefirst distance and the second distance on the basis of the settling timeTw of the wire 5. The movement distance calculating unit 25 calculates adistance Sr1 that is the first distance, by the following formula (4).

Sr1=Fc×{Tw−(Fc/2As)}  (4)

A specific example of the calculation of the distance Sr1 performed bythe movement distance calculating unit 25 will now be explained. In thisspecific example, it is assumed that the filter time constants τs and τwsatisfy τs=τw=0. In addition, each of the accelerations As and Aw set inadvance is the same acceleration α. In addition, Vc=Fc/2 is assumed tobe satisfied. In this specific example, the settling time Ts isexpressed as Ts=Fc/α by the above formula (1). The settling time Tw isexpressed as Tw=Fc/2α by the above formula (2). Because the relation ofTs>Tw is satisfied between the settling time Ts and the settling timeTw, the movement distance calculating unit 25 calculates the distanceSr1 by the above formula (3). In this specific example, the distance Sr1is calculated as Fc²/2α from the formula (3).

The movement distance calculating unit 25 also calculates the seconddistance in a manner similar to the first distance. When Ts<Tw, theadditive manufacturing apparatus 100 needs to stop machining at thesettling time Tw before time t3, that is, when the estimated rate Vcstarts lowering form the rate value V1, in order to make the relationbetween the estimated velocity Fc and the estimated rate Vc constant atthe second position. The movement distance calculating unit 25calculates a distance Sr1 that is the second distance, by the aboveformula (4) above, in the same manner as the first distance. In thisexample, each of the first distance and the second distance is the samedistance Sr1.

The movement distance calculating unit 25 calculates, by the aboveformula (3) or (4), the first distance that enables the supply rate V tobe increased from zero to the rate value V1 for machining during themovement through the first movement section, and the second distancethat enables the supply rate V to be decreased from the rate value V1 tozero during the movement through the second movement section. Thecalculation of the first distance and the second distance based on theabove formula (3) or (4) by the movement distance calculating unit 25enables the NC device 1 to set the first movement section and the secondmovement section where the relation between the moving velocity F andthe supply rate V in the partial path L1 can be constant. In a mannersimilar to the case of the partial path L1, the movement distancecalculating unit 25 also calculates a distance Sr2, which is the firstdistance and the second distance, for a partial path L2.

Next, processes performed by the movement section setting unit 26 willbe explained. FIG. 14 is a first diagram for explaining the processesperformed by the movement section setting unit 26 owned by the NC device1 illustrated in FIG. 2. In the first diagram, description is given forsetting of a first movement section L11 and a second movement sectionL12 of a partial path L1.

The movement section setting unit 26 obtains the tangential direction ofthe partial path L1 at a first position 53, and the tangential directionof the partial path L1 at a second position 54. Specifically, themovement section setting unit 26 obtains the tangential direction at thefirst position 53 on the basis of the coordinates of the first position53 and the coordinates of an interpolated point adjacent to the firstposition 53. The movement section setting unit 26 obtains the tangentialdirection at the second position 54 on the basis of the coordinates ofthe second position 54 and the coordinates of an interpolated pointadjacent to the second position 54.

The movement section setting unit 26 obtains the first movement sectionL11 in the same direction as the tangential direction at the firstposition 53. A start point 55 of the first movement section L11corresponds to a position at the first distance, that is, the distanceSr1 from the first position 53. The first position 53 corresponds to theend point of the first movement section L11. The movement sectionsetting unit 26 obtains the second movement section L12 in the samedirection as the tangential direction at the second position 54. An endpoint 56 of the second movement section L12 corresponds to a position atthe second distance, that is, the distance Sr1 from the second position54. The second position 54 corresponds to the start point of the secondmovement section L12. In this way, the movement section setting unit 26sets the first movement section L11 and the second movement section L12for the partial path L1.

FIG. 15 is a second diagram for explaining the processes performed bythe movement section setting unit 26 owned by the NC device 1illustrated in FIG. 2. In the second diagram, description is given forsetting of a first movement section L21 and a second movement sectionL22 of a partial path L2.

The movement section setting unit 26 obtains the tangential direction ofthe partial path L2 at a first position 57, and the tangential directionof the partial path L2 at a second position 58. Specifically, themovement section setting unit 26 obtains the tangential direction at thefirst position 57 on the basis of the coordinates of the first position57 and the coordinates of an interpolated point adjacent to the firstposition 57. The movement section setting unit 26 obtains the tangentialdirection at the second position 58 on the basis of the coordinates ofthe second position 58 and the coordinates of an interpolated pointadjacent to the second position 58.

The movement section setting unit 26 obtains the first movement sectionL21 in the same direction as the tangential direction at the firstposition 57. A start point 59 of the first movement section L21corresponds to a position at the first distance, that is, the distanceSr2 from the first position 57. The first position 57 corresponds to theend point of the first movement section L21. The movement sectionsetting unit 26 obtains the second movement section L22 in the samedirection as the tangential direction at the second position 58. An endpoint 60 of the second movement section L22 corresponds to a position atthe second distance, that is, the distance Sr2 from the second position58. The second position 58 corresponds to the start point of the secondmovement section L22. In this way, the movement section setting unit 26sets the first movement section L21 and the second movement section L22for the partial path L2.

Next, processes performed by the condition adjusting unit 28 will beexplained. Herein, adjustment of the partial path L1, and the firstmovement section L11 and the second movement section L12 set for thepartial path L1 will be explained as an example. The condition adjustingunit 28 adjusts the machining condition of the columnar object 51 inaccordance with the setting of the first movement section L11 and thesecond movement section L12 performed by the movement section settingunit 26. The condition adjusting unit 28 adjusts the condition on thesupply of the wire 5 and the condition on the output of the laser beamfor the partial path L, the first movement section L11, and the secondmovement section L12.

The condition adjusting unit 28 adjusts the condition on the supply ofthe wire 5 so that the supply of the wire 5 is started at the same timeas the start of the movement of the machining head 10 from the startpoint 55. In the case of Ts>Tw as illustrated in FIG. 12, the conditionadjusting unit 28 adjusts the condition on the output of the laser beamso that the output of the laser beam is started when the estimatedvelocity Fc reaches the velocity value F1. In the case of Ts>Tw, theposition of the machining head 10 when the estimated velocity Fc reachesthe velocity value F1 corresponds to the first position 53. In the caseof Ts<Tw as illustrated in FIG. 13, the condition adjusting unit 28adjusts the condition on the output of the laser beam so that the outputof the laser beam is started when the estimated rate Vc reaches the ratevalue V1. In the case of Ts<Tw, the position of the machining head 10when the estimated rate Vc reaches the rate value V1 is the firstposition. The adjustment of the condition on the supply of the wire 5and the condition on the output of the laser beam enables the NC device1 to supply the wire 5 at a constant rate value V1 during the period inwhich the moving velocity F has a constant velocity value F1 and thelaser beam is emitted.

The condition command generating unit 27 generates a supply command forsupply of the wire 5 and an output command for output of the laser beamin the first movement section L11 and in the second movement section L12on the basis of the conditions adjusted by the condition adjusting unit28. The condition command generating unit 27 also generates variouscommands for the partial path L1 on the basis of the conditions adjustedby the condition adjusting unit 28. The condition command generatingunit 27 outputs the generated various commands.

The command value generating unit 23 generates movement commands for thepartial path L1, the first movement section L11, and the second movementsection L12. The command value generating unit 23 performs anacceleration/deceleration process, which is a process of generating avelocity waveform that enables acceleration/deceleration at a presetacceleration, and a smoothing process, which is a process of smoothingthe velocity waveform. The smoothing process is also called a movingaverage filtering process. The command value generating unit 23 outputsthe generated movement commands.

The rotary motor 4 illustrated in FIG. 1 rotates in a forward direction,which is a first direction, while the machining head 10 is moved fromthe start point of the first movement section L11 to the end point ofthe second movement section L12. The rotation of the rotary motor 4 inthe forward direction causes the wire 5 to be supplied toward theworkpiece. The condition command generating unit 27 may generate acommand for a pull-back operation of making the rotary motor 4 operatein a reverse direction, which is a second direction opposite to thefirst direction, before the movement of the machining head 10 is startedfrom the start point of the first movement section L11. The conditioncommand generating unit 27 may generate a command for a pull-backoperation of making the rotary motor 4 operate in the reverse directionafter the movement of the machining head 10 is stopped at the end pointof the second movement section L12. The NC device 1 is capable ofsuppressing excessive feeding of the wire 5 by such a pull-backoperation. The NC device 1 is capable of positioning the leading end ofthe wire 5 at the irradiation position of the laser beam at the time ofstart of machining on a partial path.

Processes performed by the condition adjusting unit 28 for making therotary motor 4 perform the pull-back operation will now be explained.FIG. 16 is a first graph for explaining the processes performed by thecondition adjusting unit 28 owned by the NC device 1 illustrated in FIG.2. In the case of Ts>Tw, the length Sw by which the wire 5 moves whilethe machining head 10 moves through the first movement section L11 isexpressed by the following formula (5). The length Sw also correspondsto the length by which the wire 5 moves while the machining head 10moves through the second movement section L12.

Sw=Vc×{Ts−(Vc/2Aw)}  (5)

FIG. 17 is a second graph for explaining the processes performed by thecondition adjusting unit 28 owned by the NC device 1 illustrated in FIG.2. In the case of Ts<Tw, the length Sw by which the wire 5 moves whilethe machining head 10 moves through the first movement section L11 isexpressed by the following formula (6). The length Sw also correspondsto the length by which the wire 5 moves while the machining head 10moves through the second movement section L12.

Sw=Vc×{Tw−(Vc/2Aw)}  (6)

The condition adjusting unit 28 performs adjustment for making therotary motor 4 perform the pull-back operation of pulling back the wire5 of the length Sw calculated by the above formula (5) or (6) inaddition to the rotating operation in the first movement section L11,the partial path L, and the second movement section L12. The conditioncommand generating unit 27 generates a command for the pull-backoperation on the basis of the condition adjusted by the conditionadjusting unit 28. Note that the condition command generating unit 27only needs to generate at least one of a command for a pull-backoperation before the movement of the machining head 10 is started fromthe start point 55 of the first movement section L11 and a command for apull-back operation after the movement of the machining head 10 isstopped at the end point 56 of the second movement section L12. The NCdevice 1 is capable of suppressing excessive feeding of the wire 5 bymaking the rotary motor 4 perform at least one of the pull-backoperation before the movement of the machining head 10 is started fromthe start point 55 and the pull-back operation after the movement of themachining head 10 is stopped at the end point 56.

Note that the condition adjusting unit 28 also adjusts the conditionsfor the partial path L2, the first movement section L21, and the secondmovement section L22 in a manner similar to that for the partial pathL1, the first movement section L11, and the second movement section L12.The condition command generating unit 27 generates a supply command forsupply of the wire 5 and an output command for output of the laser beamin the first movement section L21 and in the second movement section L22on the basis of the conditions adjusted by the condition adjusting unit28. The condition command generating unit 27 also generates variouscommands for the partial path L2 on the basis of the conditions adjustedby the condition adjusting unit 28.

According to the first embodiment, the NC device 1 calculates the firstdistance on the basis of the result of analysis performed by the programanalyzing unit 22, and increases the supply amount per hour of thematerial from zero to a command value according to the machiningcondition while the machining head 10 moves through the first movementsection having a first length. The NC device 1 calculates the seconddistance on the basis of the result of analysis performed by the programanalyzing unit 22, and decreases the supply amount per hour of thematerial from the command value according to the machining condition tozero while the machining head 10 moves through the second movementsection having a second length. The NC device 1 can make the supplyamount of the wire 5 at each interpolated point of the movement pathconstant by controlling the supply amount in first movement section andcontrolling the supply amount in the second section. As a result, the NCdevice 1 produces an advantageous effect of enabling the additivemanufacturing apparatus 100 to perform machining with high machiningaccuracy.

Note that, in the first embodiment, the beam may be a beam other than alaser beam, and may be an electron beam. The additive manufacturingapparatus 100 may include an electron beam generation source that is abeam source. In addition, in the first embodiment, the material may be amaterial other than the wire 5, and may be metal powder. The NC device 1also enables the additive manufacturing apparatus 100 to performmachining with high machining accuracy even in a case where the beam isa beam other than the laser beam or even in a case where the material isa material other than the wire 5.

The movement distance calculating unit 25 is not limited to a unit thatcalculates the first distance and the second distance, and may be a unitthat calculate any one of the first distance and the second distance.The condition command generating unit 27 is not limited to a unit thatgenerates a supply command to increase the material supply amount in thefirst movement section and a supply command to decrease the materialsupply amount in the second movement section, and may be a unit thatgenerates any one of the supply command to increase the material supplyamount in the first movement section and the supply command to decreasethe material supply amount in the second movement section. The movementsection setting unit 26 is not limited to a unit that sets the firstmovement section and the second movement section, and may be a unit thatsets any one of the first movement section and the second movementsection. The NC device 1 produces the effect of enabling the additivemanufacturing apparatus 100 to achieve high machining accuracy bycontrolling the material supply amount in at least one of the firstmovement section and the second movement section as with the firstembodiment.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an NCdevice 70 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. TheNC device 70 includes a range extracting unit 71 that extracts a rangein which the machining head 10 is movable, and sets a first movementsection and a second movement section within the range extracted by therange extracting unit 71. The NC device 70 has the same configuration asthe NC device 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the rangeextracting unit 71 is provided. The functions of the NC device 70 areimplemented with use of a hardware configuration in the same manner asthe NC device 1 according to the first embodiment. In the secondembodiment, components that are the same as those in the firstembodiment described above will be given the same reference symbols, andfeatures different from those in the first embodiment will be mainlydescribed.

The range extracting unit 71 acquires data on a partial path from thepartial path generating unit 24. The range extracting unit 71 extracts,for each partial path, a range in which the movement of the machininghead 10 to the first position and the movement of the machining head 10from the second position are enabled. The range extracting unit 71obtains a maximum movable range, which is a range of a maximum strokewithin which the machining head 10 is movable in three-dimensionaldirections. Data on the maximum stroke is stored in the external storagedevice 44 illustrated in FIG. 3. The range extracting unit 71 obtainsthe maximum movable range on the basis of the data on the maximum strokestored in the external storage device 44.

Furthermore, the range extracting unit 71 extracts, for each partialpath, a movable range, which is a range in which the machining head 10is movable, from the maximum movable range. The range extracting unit 71extracts, for each partial path, a movable range, which is a remainingrange obtained after excluding a space to be occupied by a depositedobject finally-machined before machining on the current partial path isperformed from a possible movable range. In this manner, the rangeextracting unit 71 extracts the movable range, which is a range obtainedby excluding a range into which the machining head 10 cannot be movedowing to a structural reason of the additive manufacturing apparatus 100and a range in which already-machined deposited object is to be present.The range extracting unit 71 outputs data of the extracted movable rangeto the movement section setting unit 26.

Next, an operation of the NC device 70 will be explained. FIG. 19 is aflowchart illustrating a procedure of the operation of the NC device 70illustrated in FIG. 18. The procedure from steps S1 to S4 is the same asthat in steps S1 to S4 shown in FIG. 4.

In step S11, the range extracting unit 71 extracts a movable range. Notethat the order of the operation in step S4 and the operation in step S11may be reversed with respect to that illustrated in FIG. 19. The NCdevice 70 may perform the operation in step S4 and the operation in stepS11 at the same time.

In step S12, the movement section setting unit 26 sets, for each partialpath, a first movement section and a second movement section within themovable range extracted in step S11. The procedure in steps S6 to S8 isthe same as that in steps in S6 to S8 illustrated in FIG. 4. The NCdevice 70 thus terminates the operation according to the procedureillustrated in FIG. 19.

Next, details of the processes performed by the components of the NCdevice 70 illustrated in FIG. 18 will be explained. The range extractingunit 71 extracts, for each partial path, a movable range R by excludinga space to be occupied by a deposited object already-machined beforemachining on the current partial path is performed from the maximummovable range. Alternatively, the range extracting unit 71 may obtain arange of a space other than the space to be occupied by analready-machined deposited object and a range corresponding to themaximum movable range, and extract a movement range R that correspondsto both of the two ranges.

The movement section setting unit 26 obtains a first movement sectionand a second movement section of each partial path as with the firstembodiment. The movement section setting unit 26 determines whether ornot the whole of the obtained first movement section and second movementsection is covered in the movable range R. If the whole of the obtainedfirst movement section and second movement section are included in themovable range R, the movement section setting unit 26 sets the firstmovement section and the second movement section as with the case of thefirst embodiment.

On the other hand, if part of the obtained first movement section andsecond movement section is not covered in the movable range R, themovement section setting unit 26 performs modification to include thewhole of the first movement section and second movement section withinthe movable range R.

FIG. 20 is a first diagram for explaining processes performed by themovement section setting unit 26 owned by the NC device 1 illustrated inFIG. 18. The first diagram illustrates an example of a first movementsection L11 and a second movement section L12 obtained for a partialpath L1. Because any deposited objects already-machined before themachining on the partial path L1 are not present, the movable range Rfor the partial path L1 is equal to the maximum movable range. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 20, the whole of the obtained first movementsection L11 and second movement section L12 is assumed to be included inthe movable range R. In this case, the movement section setting unit 26sets the first movement section L11 and the second movement section L12for the partial path L1.

FIG. 21 is a second diagram for explaining the processes performed bythe movement section setting unit 26 owned by the NC device 1illustrated in FIG. 18. The second diagram illustrates an example of afirst movement section L21 and a second movement section L22 obtainedfor a partial path L2. Because a columnar object 51, which is depositsto be finally machined before the machining on the partial path L2 isperformed, is present, the movable range R for the partial path L2 is arange obtained by excluding the space occupied by the columnar object 51from the maximum movable range. In the example illustrated in FIG. 21,part of the obtained first movement section L21 enters the spaceoccupied by the columnar object 51 and is thus not included in themovable range R. In addition, part of the obtained second movementsection L22 including the end point 60 is beyond the maximum movablerange and is thus not included in the movable range R.

The movement section setting unit 26 changes the position of the startpoint 59 of the first movement section L21 to a position on the side ofthe partial path L2 with respect to the columnar object 51 by moving thestart point 59 toward the first position 57. The movement sectionsetting unit 26 performs modification to shorten the first distancecalculated by the movement distance calculating unit 25. In addition,the movement section setting unit 26 changes the position of the endpoint 60 of the second movement section L22 to a position within themovable range R by moving the end point 60 toward the second position58. The movement section setting unit 26 performs modification toshorten the second distance calculated by the movement distancecalculating unit 25. In this manner, the movement section setting unit26 performs, for the partial path L2, modification to include the wholeof the first movement section L21 and second movement section L22 withinthe movable range R.

The condition adjusting unit 28 performs, for the partial path L2,adjustment of the conditions in association with the changes in thefirst distance and the second distance made by the movement sectionsetting unit 26 in addition to the adjustment of the conditionsperformed as with the first embodiment. When the first distance ischanged from the above-mentioned “Sr2” to “Sr2′”, the conditionadjusting unit 28 modifies the condition on the supply of the wire 5 andthe condition on the output of the laser beam for the first movementsection L21.

The condition adjusting unit 28 modifies the estimated velocity Fc, theestimated rate Vc, and the settling times Ts and Tw on the basis of theabove formulas (3) and (4) used for calculation of the distances Sr1 andSr2 in the first embodiment. Note that the modified estimated velocityFc and the modified estimated rate Vc are represented as “Fc′” and“Vc′”, respectively, and the modified settling times Ts and Tw arerepresented as “Ts'” and “Tw′”, respectively. “Fc′” is obtained bysolving a quadratic equation, the quadratic equation being obtained byreplacing the left side of the above formula (3) or (4) with “Sr2′” andreplacing “Fc” with “Fc′” and having “Fc′” as a variable. Because “Fc′”and “Ts′” satisfy the relation of the above formula (1) as in “Fc” and“Ts”, “Ts′” can be obtained from the obtained “Fc′” and formula (1).Because “Fc′” and “Tw′” satisfy the relation of the above formula (2) asin “Fc” and “Tw”, “Tw′” is obtained from the obtained “Fc′” and formula(2).

The condition adjusting unit 28 modifies the condition on the supply ofthe wire 5 so that the supply of the wire 5 is started at the same timeas the start of the movement of the machining head 10 from the startpoint 55. In the case of Ts′>Tw′ as in the case illustrated in FIG. 12,the condition adjusting unit 28 modifies the condition on the output ofthe laser beam so that the output of the laser beam is started when theestimated velocity Fc′ reaches the velocity value F1. In the case ofTs′<Tw′ as in the case illustrated in FIG. 13, the condition adjustingunit 28 adjusts the condition on the output of the laser beam so thatthe output of the laser beam is started when the estimated rate Vc′reaches the rate value V1. Note that the estimated rate Vc′ is obtainedon the basis of the above formulas (5) and (6).

The condition adjusting unit 28 also modifies the condition on thesupply of the wire 5 and the condition on the output of the laser beamfor the second movement section L22 in a manner similar to themodification for the first movement section L21. The command valuegenerating unit 23 generates, for the partial path L2, movement commandsfor the modified first movement section L21 and for the modified secondmovement section L22.

According to the second embodiment, the NC device 70 can set the firstmovement section and the second movement section within a range in whichthe machining head 10 can move, by extraction of the range performed bythe range extracting unit 71. The NC device 70 can make the supplyamount of the wire 5 at each interpolated point of the movement pathconstant, by modifying the condition on the supply of the wire 5 and thecondition on the output of the laser beam in accordance with a change inthe first distance or a change in the second distance. As a result, theNC device 70 produces an effect of enabling the additive manufacturingapparatus 100 to perform machining with high machining accuracy.

The range extracting unit 71 is not limited to a unit that sets thefirst movement section and the second movement section within themovable range R, and may be a unit that sets any one of the firstmovement section and the second section in the movable range R. The NCdevice 70 can produce an effect of enabling the additive manufacturingapparatus 100 to perform machining with high machining accuracy bysetting at least one of the first movement section and the secondmovement section within the movable range R as with the secondembodiment.

The configurations presented in the embodiments above are examples ofthe present invention, which can be combined with other publicly knowntechniques or can be partly omitted and/or modified without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1, 70 NC device; 2 laser oscillator; 3 fiber cable; 4 rotary motor; 5wire; 6 wire spool; 7 gas supplying device; 8 pipe; 10 machining head;11 beam nozzle; 12 wire nozzle; 13 gas nozzle; 14 head drive device; 15stage; 16 rotation mechanism; 17 base material; 18 deposited object; 20machining program; 20 a, 20 b block group; 21 machining condition table;22 program analyzing unit; 23 command value generating unit; 24 partialpath generating unit; 25 movement distance calculating unit; 26 movementsection setting unit; 27 condition command generating unit; 28 conditionadjusting unit; 31, 32 servo amplifier; 33 oscillation control unit; 41CPU; 42 RAM; 43 ROM; 44 external storage device; 45 input/outputinterface; 46 bus; 50 modeled object; 51, 52 columnar object; 53, 57first position; 54, 58 second position; 55, 59 start point; 56, 60 endpoint; 71 range extracting unit; 100 additive manufacturing apparatus;L11, L21 first movement section; L12, L22 second movement section; Rmovable range.

1. A numerical control device that controls, in accordance with amachining program, an additive manufacturing apparatus that includes amachining head emitting a beam and produces a modeled object by adding amaterial molten by irradiation of the beam to a workpiece, the numericalcontrol device comprising: program analyzing circuitry to analyze atransition of a moving velocity of the machining head relative to theworkpiece and a transition of a supply amount of the material suppliedto an irradiation position of the beam on the basis of the machiningprogram; movement distance calculating circuitry to calculate a firstdistance on the basis of a result of analysis performed by the programanalyzing circuitry, the first distance being a length of a firstmovement section to a first position with which addition of the materialto the workpiece is started, the first movement section being a sectionthrough which the machining head is moved while the head is accelerated;and condition command generating circuitry to generate a supply commandto increase the supply amount of the material per hour from zero to acommand value according to a machining condition while the machininghead is moved through the first movement section.
 2. The numericalcontrol device according to claim 1, wherein the condition commandgenerating circuitry generates an output command to start output of thebeam when the machining head reaches the first position.
 3. Thenumerical control device according to claim 1, wherein the conditioncommand generating circuitry generates a command for a pull-backoperation of making driving circuitry of the additive manufacturingapparatus operate in a second direction opposite to a first directionbefore movement of the machining head is started from a start point ofthe first movement section, the first direction being a direction inwhich the driving circuitry operates for supply of the material in thefirst movement section.
 4. The numerical control device according toclaim 1, further comprising: partial path generating circuitry togenerate a partial path obtained by dividing a movement path throughwhich the machining head is moved, by extracting the partial path fromthe movement path, the partial path having the first position as a startpoint and a second position at which addition of the material continuedfrom the first position is stopped as an end point; and movement sectionsetting circuitry to set the first movement section having the firstdistance in a tangential direction of the partial path at the firstposition.
 5. The numerical control device according to claim 4,comprising: range extracting circuitry to extract a range in which themachining head can move, wherein the movement section setting circuitrysets the first movement section within the range extracted by the rangeextracting circuitry.
 6. A numerical control device that controls, inaccordance with a machining program, an additive manufacturing apparatusthat includes a machining head emitting a beam and produces a modeledobject by adding a material molten by irradiation of the beam to aworkpiece, the numerical control device comprising: program analyzingcircuitry to analyze a transition of a moving velocity of the machininghead relative to the workpiece and a transition of a supply amount ofthe material supplied to an irradiation position of the beam on thebasis of the machining program; movement distance calculating circuitryto calculate a second distance on the basis of a result of analysisperformed by the program analyzing circuitry, the second distance beinga length of a second movement section from a second position at whichaddition of the material to the workpiece is stopped, the secondmovement section being a section through which the machining head ismoved while the head is decelerated; and condition command generatingcircuitry to generate a supply command to decrease the supply amount ofthe material per hour from a command value according to a machiningcondition to zero while the machining head is moved through the secondmovement section.
 7. The numerical control device according to claim 6,wherein the condition command generating circuitry generates an outputcommand to stop output of the beam when the machining head reaches thesecond position.
 8. The numerical control device according to claim 6,wherein the condition command generating circuitry generates a commandfor a pull-back operation of making driving circuitry of the additivemanufacturing apparatus operate in a second direction opposite to afirst direction after movement of the machining head is stopped at anend point of the second movement section, the first direction being adirection in which the driving circuitry operates for supply of thematerial in the second movement section.
 9. The numerical control deviceaccording to claim 6, comprising: partial path generating circuitry togenerate a partial path obtained by dividing a movement path throughwhich the machining head is moved, by extracting the partial path fromthe movement path, the partial path having, as a start point, a firstposition at which addition of the material to the workpiece is startedand, as an end point, the second position; and movement section settingcircuitry to set the second movement section having the second distancein a tangential direction of the partial path at the second position.10. The numerical control device according to claim 9, comprising: rangeextracting circuitry to extract a range in which the machining head canmove, wherein the movement section setting circuitry sets the secondmovement section within the range extracted by the range extractingcircuitry. 11.-12. (canceled)